Pilgrimage Sites

Archbishop José H. Gomez has designated ten parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as pilgrimage sites during the Year of Faith. Pilgrims visiting these sites this year may receive a “plenary indulgence for the temporal punishment of sin” for themselves and for deceased loved ones.

According to guidelines issued by the Vatican, to obtain the indulgences, pilgrims must be truly sorry for their sins, go to Confession and receive the Eucharist, and pray for the Pope’s intentions.

Archbishop Gomez said:

 The Church’s ancient practice of granting indulgences is a beautiful sign of God’s love and mercy and the Church’s ministry of reconciliation.

 

Jesus Christ gave his Catholic Church the power to forgive sins in his name. But we realize that even though our Heavenly Father forgives our sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we still need to be healed from the wounds that our sins cause in us and purified of their effects in our lives.

 

Usually this process of purification and healing takes place either here on earth — when we bear our trials and sufferings patiently with faith — or after death, in the state of Purgatory.

 

By granting a “plenary indulgence,” the Church frees us from the burdens of our past failings so that through our love we can grow closer to Jesus.

 

So this opportunity to receive a plenary indulgence is a beautiful gift that our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has given us in this Year of Faith.

 

By making a pilgrimage to these selected churches — which are located in each of our five pastoral regions — we will be making a little act of faith and love and expressing our desire to grow in holiness. And in response, we will receive this great gift of God’s tender mercies and love.

 

The Apostolic Penitentiary Decree (Year of Faith)

At the Pope’s request, the Vatican’s Apostolic Penitentiary has issued a decree that outlines the conditions for which Catholics may obtain a plenary indulgence during the Year of Faith.

 According to the decree, Catholics who are “truly repentant, have duly received the Sacrament of Penance and Holy Communion and who pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff,” may receive the Plenary Indulgence every time they go as pilgrims to these designated churches “and take part there in some sacred function or at least pause in recollection for a suitable length of time with devout meditation, concluding with the recitation of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary or, depending on the case, to the Holy Apostles or Patrons.”

 Designated Year of Faith Pilgrimage Churches

Archbishop Gomez has designated the following as Year of Faith pilgrimage churches for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles:

1. •Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region
   

1. ◦Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles
   

2. ◦St. Augustine Catholic Church, Culver City
   

2. •San Fernando Pastoral Region
   

1. ◦Holy Family Church, Glendale
   

2. ◦Blessed Junipero Serra Parish, Lancaster
   

3. •San Gabriel Pastoral Region
   

1. ◦San Gabriel Mission, San Gabriel
   

2. ◦St. Joseph Catholic Church, Pomona
   

4. •San Pedro Pastoral Region
   

1. ◦Mary Star of the Sea, San Pedro
   

2. ◦St. Dominic Savio, Bellflower
   

5. •Santa Barbara Pastoral Region
   

1. ◦Holy Cross Catholic Church, Moorpark
   

2. ◦Our Lady of Sorrows, Santa Barbara
   

6. 
   

  Parishes by Region 

(Click on Parish web-site link for Mass times and other useful information)

 

Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
555 W. Temple St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012-2702
(213) 680-5200
http://www.olacathedral.org/

St. Augustine Catholic Church
3850 Jasmine Ave.
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 838-2477
http://staugustine.cc

San Fernando Pastoral Region

Blessed Junipero Serra Parish
42121 N. 60th St. West
Lancaster, CA 93536-3767
(661) 943-9314
http://fatherserra.org/

San Gabriel Pastoral Region

San Gabriel Mission
428 S. Mission Dr.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 457-3035
http://sangabrielmissionchurch.org/

St. Joseph Catholic Church
1150 W. Holt Ave.
Pomona, CA  91768
(909) 629-4101
http://home1.gte.net/res0wzio/

San Pedro Pastoral Region

St. Dominic Savio
13400 Bellflower Blvd.
Bellflower, CA 90706
(562) 920-7796
http://www.saintdominicsavio.org/

Santa Barbara Pastoral Region

Our Lady of Sorrows
21 E. Sola St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 963-1734
http://www.our-lady-of-sorrows-santa-barbara.com/